IPCC report shows climate doomsday clock ticking

The world's most eminent climate scientists are in furious agreement humanity has to do a lot more - and a lot sooner - if a calamitous and irreversible increase in temperatures is to be avoided.

According to the report, humanity is on track to exceed the crucial 1.5 degree threshold by 2030 but, so long as urgent action is taken right now, it should be possible to bring it back down again over time.

The window of time available to do this is very small and, according to UNSW Associate Professor Sarah Perkins Kirkpatrick, it will require "heavy climate mitigation, heavy investment in renewable energy and also carbon capture and storage".

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who called on countries such as Australia and China to urgently stop approving new coal, gas and oil projects, was just as frank.

"Demanding others move first only ensures humanity comes last," he said. "We must move into warp speed climate action now. We don't have a moment to lose."

Mr Guterres's call is timely and ironic given negotiations over Labor climate legislation slated to come into effect on July 1 appear to have stalled.

The bill, which would create a "safeguard" mechanism to let big polluters offset greenhouse emissions, is in limbo pending an agreement with the Greens and key cross-bench senators.

The Liberals, despite having come up with a safeguards mechanism of their own while in government, are determined to vote against it. They have effectively dealt themselves out of the game.

The Greens, like Mr Guterres and most climate scientists, want the government to call a halt on all new fossil fuel project approvals immediately.

The government, which will be blamed if a predicted shortfall in gas supplies this winter leads to widespread power outages and disruption to private and commercial gas users, wants to keep its options open.

It rightly believes it has a mandate to legislate for action on climate change given the importance of the issue in the last election.

Teal independent Zali Steggall, meanwhile, is both a peacemaker and a voice in the wilderness.

"On current high emissions pathways we are on track for between 3.5 and 5.7 degrees of warming by the end of the century," she said. "This would be catastrophic".

Ms Steggall, who said the safeguard mechanism "would be a powerful lever to achieve emissions reductions", wants the political point scoring to cease.

While her compromise solution would not ban new coal and gas projects it would make it mandatory for any increase in production to be done more efficiently and for any new entrants into the market to either phase out less efficient facilities or to come in at net zero (presumably by using offsets sanctioned under the safeguards mechanism).

While this probably isn't perfect from either Labor or the Greens' point of view it is a serious attempt to break an impasse which has the potential to make this country look like the climate change it used to be under the Coalition.

That impression is being reinforced by the right-wing think tank, the Institute of Public Affairs', attempt to intervene in the NSW election by claiming existing policies are putting almost 140,000 jobs at risk in the state.

These claims have been dismissed as "inaccurate scaremongering" by both the NSW LNP and Labor.

While only a sideshow in the battle to save the planet, the IPA's irresponsible actions are a reminder that even as the world floods and burns climate change denial is alive and well.

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Responsibility for election comment is taken by John-Paul Moloney of 121 Marcus Clarke Street, Canberra. Published by Federal Capital Press of Australia Pty Ltd.